Top Democrat on House Intelligence panel backs Iran nuclear deal

The ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), said on Monday that Congress should back the Iran nuclear agreement, adding the support of another Jewish Democrat for the deal.

He said as an American and Jew deeply concerned about the security of Israel, preventing Iran from getting a nuclear bomb is “intensely personal.”

“In the absence of a credible alternative, Congress should accept the deal and work with the Administration to strengthen its impact, while joining forces with our allies to better contain Iran’s conventional capabilities and nefarious conduct in the region and beyond,” he said in a statement.

Schiff said there are elements of the deal he likes, while others are “deeply concerning.”

He said the deal “realistically precludes Iran from developing an atomic bomb for fifteen or more years, and does so while reducing the chances of war.”

He also endorsed the mechanism under the deal that would allow the U.S. to unilaterally snap back sanctions in the event of Iranian noncompliance, as well as the “intrusive” inspections into Iran.